Breaking: Haftar’s Libyan Army say they shot down warplane targeting their airbase

Libyan pro-government forces walk next to their vehicle mounted with a machine gun on May 18, 2016 in Abu Grein, south of Libya's third city Misrata, a day after Libya's unity government recaptured the area from the Islamic State (IS) group. four of the Bodies of The organization of the Islamic State (Daash) in a truck in Abu Qurayn About 300 km east of the Libyan capital Tripoli , on May 18, 2016.
The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) forces said on Facebook that they recaptured Abu Grein strategic crossroads, where the coastal highway meets the main road south into the desert interior on May 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD TURKIA

The forces of the Libyan National Army, led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, shot down a military plane belonging to armed groups and attempted to attack the al-Jufra military airbase, a spokesman for the LNA, Ahmed Al-Mismari, said.

It is reported that the plane had been shot down by the air defence forces of al-Jufry military airbase.

“Ground defence forces based at al-Jufra were able to shoot down a military plane of terrorist armed groups that tried to attack a military base this morning… There were three planes, two of which fled… A search for the downed plane and pilot is being conducted,” the spokesman said.

Khalifa Haftar ordered an offensive to take control of Tripoli from GNA forces in early April, prompting a mobilisation of forces loyal to the GNA. In response, armed forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) started a military operation against the LNA.

Libya descended into chaos in 2011, when long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed by rebels backed by NATO.

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